Translated by Swami
Narayanananda

Table of Contents

Homage unto the Almighty Lord. Worshipful adorations and prostrations at the
Holy Lotus Feet of Beloved Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and all the
Brahma Vidya Gurus. May the Grace of the Lord, who is the Guru of Gurus,
Jagadguru, the choicest blessings of worshipful Guru Maharaj and all the Brahma
Vidya Gurus be upon all the devotees.

In spite of much that has been told and written on the concept of the
Spiritual Guru, still there exists a great deal of confusion and
misunderstanding in the minds of many seeking souls.

This book "GURU GITA" with original verses and lucid commentary in English
undoubtedly serves not only as a great boon to dispel at once the confusion and
misunderstanding of all such sincere aspiring souls but also infuses in them
unflinching faith and devotion towards their Guru which is the fundamental
prerequisite for attaining the Supreme Bliss. Above all, the Real Nature of
Sadguru, which is akin to the nature of the Supreme Being, is very beautifully
depicted in this great book "Guru Gita" which unfailingly serves as a beacon
light to all those sincere seekers who are already treading the spiritual path.

May this valuable book have widest possible circulation and benefit all the
spiritual aspirants and devotees.

O beloved seeker! I sincerely urge you to make a little daily reading of this
"GURU GITA" an unfailing part of your spiritual Sadhana and daily Svadhyaya
programme. And, once a week, upon every Thursday, please make a complete reading
of the whole of "GURU GITA" as your special Sadhana for that day of your Guru.
Reflect deeply, meditate seriously with one-pointed mind and realise that Great
Guru who is eternally shining in the inmost recess of your heart.

May your daily devout reading of a portion of this scripture serve to purify
your heart, illumine your life and make you shine with spiritual radiance.

A thinking person in the course of his life experiences a mental crisis, when
the world and worldly life fails to satisfy him and he begins to think that
there must be a higher purpose than mere vital and mental existence and that
there must be something positively True and Good behind all this. He therefore
naturally uses his intellect and turns to philosophy for help and guidance.

Philosophy is ultimate by its very nature, a search for the Absolute, first
for the Absolute Truth as distinct from mere appearance, and afterwards for the
Absolute Being, the source and explanation of all dependent existence.
Philosophy gives the rational explanation of things and explains why they exist.
It uses reason as its means. It proceeds as far as reason can go and has to stop
short; and it posits three objects: God, Nature and Man, as the explanation of
the Universe and as constituting it. There it halts, as it cannot solve or
explain the relation between these three.

Now, here steps in Religion and gives solution of the relation between God
and Man. This solution is both subjective and objective. On the objective of
ethical side, Reason and Philosophy help man to formulate his right conduct. But
on the subjective side, they fail and cannot solve the problem. This gap is
filled by Religion which starts with the two distinct principles of Faith and
Revelation.

Faith in God is the first postulate, and acceptance of Revelation the second
postulate, and when we admit these two principles, we feel a strength and
confidence in our quest of God.

By faith is meant the recognition of an object which is neither present in
consciousness nor discovered by the senses. As God cannot be an object of the
mind or senses, it is only by faith that man can link himself to him. When man
tries to know God, he feels the need for the scriptures, which are the revealed
authority, as coming from God and having the power to show the path to know him.

Now the thinking person comes to the stage of realising the necessity of
studying the Scriptures and understanding their meaning with a view to know God.

To understand what the scriptures teach, we require the instrumentality of
reason and ratiocination.

This reason is the God-given power of understanding, and it has its own
limitations; it has to be used therefore within the limits of authority and
accepting only such data as are furnished by the Scriptures. These data are
based on Revelation and are beyond Reason and have to be admitted on faith, as
authority.

Using our reason in this manner, we acquire knowledge of what the scriptures
teach. Knowledge is the product of our intellectual activity, whether it be
perception, comparison or reasoning. It supposes a being who knows, an object
known and a relation between the knowing being and the known object.

This relation occasioned by the mind’s activity is knowledge. The ultimate
principles upon which knowledge rests are incomprehensible and inexplicable:
they cannot be known, they have to be believed.

Proper understanding of the scriptures gives us a knowledge of God and the
relation of man to God, both of which are derived from Revelation. This is
Theology as distinct from Philosophy which is pure reason.

Regarding the knowledge of God, there is the Mystic school, which believes
that God may be known face to face, without any intermediate factor, by
intuition or inspiration. There are cases of people in all religions, who have
been such mystics and have vouched for experiencing God and known Him or seen
Him face to face. This process is a yielding to the sentiment awakened by the
idea of the infinite and a running up of all knowledge and all duty to the
contemplation and love of him. This mysticism despairs of the regular process of
science and believes that it may attain directly, without the aid of the senses
or reason and by immediate intuition, the real and absolute principle of all
truth—God.

But such people are rare and exceptional. They form the extraordinary few,
the geniuses in the field of religion, and they can be no example for the
ordinary seeker after God with his normal faculties or power.

Thus the thinking person starting with philosophy which posits the absolute
and points to God, comes to religion which shows him the relation of his
commands, and he links himself to God. Then, by the use of his reason, he
acquires that right knowledge, which will lead him to the direct realisation or
the experience of the immanence of God in him.

Applying these general principles which are common to all religions, we have
the following guiding principles as our "Ideal".

The Ideal of man’s life is to attain MOKSHA or freedom of the spirit. By
Moksha is meant liberation from the cycle of births and deaths. And this
liberation comes only when man or the Jiva gets ATMA-JNANA or self-knowledge.
Until then, he is subject to births and deaths.

The JIVA has 3 faculties: The Indriyas (senses), the Manas (mind) and the
Buddhi (intellect).

When the JIVA uses any of these three with reference to God,

(1) Whatever is done by the Indriyas is Karma;

(2) Whatever is thought by the Manas or contemplated is Upasana; and

(3) Whatever is known or understood by the Buddhi is Jnana.

The former two will not directly give Atma-Jnana but only the third, and it
is therefore rightly held that salvation is gained only by knowledge.

This knowledge can be acquired only by the study of the Shastras
(scriptures), which describe Brahman and the way to know it.

The Shastras say that the fittest person to acquire Brahman-knowledge is the
Sannyasin who has transcended Karma and Upasana and is concentrating all the
powers of his intellect in understanding what the Shastras say. There will thus
be no diversion of energy or attention and his higher mind will move in one
direction only.

But in the case of other persons who cannot give up fully mental or sensory
activity and who yet are interested in the objects of the outer world, Shastras
must also be studied, by means of which, in course of time, the knowledge side
may become more and more strong and wean him away from his mental and sensory
activities, so that he may become fit for entire practice of higher knowledge.

Hence (1) Faith, the God-given gift to man, in the revealed Scriptures, (2)
Right knowledge as taught by the Guru and, (3) Service of the Guru are the only
three means for the direct experience of delight in the Bliss of the Supreme
Being, or what is termed "Brahman", in the Upanishads.

This is the path to Self-revelation. That is to say, experience is just the
process of knowledge realising itself or becoming the essence of the ultimate
reality.

In other words, to "Know Thyself" is to "Become Thyself" and "Be Thyself".

SRI GURU GITA

CHAPTER I

1. Prostrations to Brahman, the unthinkable, the unmanifest, beyond or above
the Gunas, (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas), the Self of the Gunas, the supporting
Substance or Substratum behind the manifested universe.

2. The Sages said: O Suta, the wise one, who has acquired thorough mastery
over the Nigamas and Agamas! Please narrate to us the real or true nature of the
Guru, which has the power to remove all impurities.

Notes: Agamas are the Vedas and the Nigamas are texts dealing with
rituals and injunctions contained in the Hindu Sastras. In the word ‘Guru’, the
syllable ‘Gu’ stands for darkness and ‘Ru’ for the removal of darkness.

7. Suta said : O Sages, hear with rapt attention. I shall now narrate to you
the song (Gita) which is capable of destroying all the ills of the Samsara (the
cycle of transmigratory existence) and which is like the mother unto you all.

Notes: The conversation between Lord Siva and Parvati is introduced by a
question by the sages to Suta at the sacred spot Naimisaranya where the 18
Puranas were recited in days of yore.

8. Once upon a time, on the mountain peak of Kailasa (the abode of Lord Siva)
frequented by the Siddhas and Gandharvas, and in the most, beautiful place
adorned by nature with shrubs, flowers, fruits, etc.

Notes: Siddhas are perfected beings. Gandharvas are experts in music in
the heaven world.

9 & 10. Seated, on a tiger-skin, and surrounded by Suka and other saints, on
one occasion, while Lord Siva was expounding to the Rishis the Supreme Truth,
Parvati (the consort of Siva) with Her face full of devotion, seeing the Lord
bowing to some one with great fervent reverence and being very much surprised at
this, asked the Lord thus.

Note: Kailasa, the seat of Lord Siva, is the venue of Satsanga for the
Rishis and saints as they often visit the abode of the Lord to pay their
respects and be benefited by his instructive talks of advice.

12. Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Indra and others prostrate to Thee always, I
wish to know who will be the recipient of Your prostrations.

Is there any one superior to You to whom You have to prostrate? Are You not
the one Supreme Being, the sole abode or refuge of all prostrations?

Notes: This indicates that Goddess Parvati had noticed the Lord
prostrating to someone during His prayers or at other times. In the celebrated
Sri Ramcharitamanas, Saint Tulasidasji also brings in a similar instance and a
doubt is raised by Sri Parvati. Parvati was confirmed in the view that Lord Siva
was the Highest and the Supreme Lord of all lords. This act of the Lord was a
surprise to Her.

14. O Lord, O knower of all Dharmas, O Sambhu, please narrate to me the glory
of Guru (preceptor) which is the best of all Vratas.

Notes: By using the plural it is indicated that Lord Siva is the knower
and the authority for all Dharmas (duties) e.g.; duties of students,
householders, forest-dwellers, anchorites, ladies, the different
orders—Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Sudras, etc., etc. As such He must know
the importance of the preceptor also. Uttama indicates that it is the
best.

15. By adopting which particular method can an individual soul attain the
supreme state of Brahmanhood? I prostrate to Thee. I worship Thy feet. Kindly
explain this to me.

Notes: Worship of the feet of the Lord is Padapuja. Worshipping the feet
indicates humility and receptivity on the part of the student. The Purasha Sukta
says, "Padosya Visva Bhutani—the entire universe is but one foot of the
Lord." So, if you worship the feet of the Lord, you worship the entire humanity
and the World, the same effect is there by the worship of the Preceptor also.
The importance of this will be revealed in various verses of this book.

16. Thus repeatedly prayed for by Parvati, the great Lord Mahesvara (Siva—the
Lord of lords) spoke the following words, His heart overflowing with abundant
joy.

Notes: Teachers derive the maximum joy and happiness when eager seekers
put pertinent questions. The heart of the teacher always seeks for sincere
students. That is the reason for their joy. It is but natural that one gets joy
when he gets what he wants. A thirsty man is satisfied with water, the hungry
man with food. But teachers are satisfied when they get suitable and deserving
students to whom they can unburden their knowledge. Without a deserving student
the teacher feels the burden of his knowledge and considers his efforts fruitful
when the students eagerly question and practise the precepts.

17. Lord Mahadeva said: O Devi, this is the Secret of all secrets. This is
not to be revealed to any one. I have never divulged this to any one so far. But
I shall tell you because of your great devotion to me.

Notes: Great truths are not divulged to all and sundry. But to the
qualified disciples the teacher in his overflowing love and kindness reveals
such secrets. The disciples serve the Masters and they in turn reveal these
secrets. But never to one who is not a Bhakta such secrets are revealed.

Tvadbhaktyartham: This may be interpreted in two ways. To create devotion
in you I reveal this, and also, because you are highly devoted I reveal this to
you.

Rahasyatirahasyakam: There are some secrets which may be ordinarily
revealed to select persons but there are certain secrets which can be revealed
only to the dearest person. One such secret is this, that the Lord is going to
reveal to Parvati. As long as teachers do not get such exceptionally qualified
aspirants they do not divulge these secrets. They remain always as secrets only.

18. O Devi! You are my own Self in another form. No one else has put me this
question. This question of yours will benefit the whole world. Therefore, I
shall narrate this to you.

Notes: The World-Mother, interested as She is in the welfare of humanity,
has put this question. The entire humanity is dear to Her. Who else can be the
well-wisher of a child if not the mother? There is no equal to the love of the
mother in this world. Everything else comes next to this.

19. He who is supremely devoted to the Lord and has the same equal devotion
to his Guru, to him alone will the truths explained herein clearly reveal
themselves.

Notes: This verse appears in the end of the Svetasvatara Upanishad and
hence is quoted by the Lord as Pramana.

This verse tells us the extent of devotion we should have towards the Guru.
There is no difference between the Guru and God. Only when this Bhava becomes
fully ingrained in the mind of the disciple, his spiritual, progress becomes
easy and sure.

20. He who is the Guru is Siva Himself, so declare the scriptures, and the
fact that Siva is the Guru, is reminded to us in all the Smritis. He who makes
any distinction between the two, is guilty of the crime of uniting with his own
preceptor’s wife.

Notes: This verse gives the importance of the Guru and his identity with
Siva, and tells us that it is an unpardonable crime to find difference between
the two as in the illustration given above in the second half of the verse.

21. The Guru is Brahman and no other than Brahman Itself, O Parvati. I
declare this Truth to you. Listen to my words and believe, for this Truth is
unknown to any one else in all the three worlds.

Notes: Durlabham means "Rare". It refers to the declaration "Guru is
Brahman". The Guru who is really qualified and who is capable of imparting the
knowledge of Brahman is rare. He is attainable with difficulty and by the Grace
of God particularly.

22&23. The Vedas, the Sastras, Puranas, the Itihasas etc., the science of
Mantras, Yantras, Mohana, Uchatana, etc., cults like the Saiva, Agama, Sakta
etc., and other cults existing in the world today are merely false theories
expressed in corrupted words which confuse the ignorant and deluded Jivas.

Notes: The concluding part of this verse appears in the succeeding verse.
As it is, it looks like a condemnation of the different Sastras which is not the
purpose of these verses.

The scriptures quoted here, are the different authoritative books of the
Hindus on which Hinduism takes its origin, and the different cults they have
given rise to.

25. O Parvati, I declare unto Thee, with all the emphasis at my command, that
there is no difference between the Guru and the Atman (Self). Therefore, efforts
should be made by seekers, men learned in the scriptures, men of wisdom, for its
attainment.

Notes: The attainment of a qualified Guru is the only means to the
attainment of Jnana. Therefore there is no difference between the Guru and Atma
Jnana.

26. The hidden ignorance, absence of the knowledge, of Self, the world, Maya,
the body—are all caused by ignorance (Ajnana). By whose grace one attains direct
knowledge of the Self—he is known by the name ‘Guru.’

28. I shall tell you that, by which the embodied soul, purified from all
sins, becomes Brahman. It is by the service of the Guru’s Feet. I say this
because of my special interest in you.

Notes: Service of the Guru includes physical service, learning and
teaching of the Sastras and all acts which please him and particularly by
spreading the teachings of the Guru among the eager and qualified aspirants.

An ideal disciple finds no difference between the Lord and his Guru. Worship
of Guru is worship of God. Worship of God is worship of Guru. Those who find any
difference cannot have real devotion to God and Guru.

29. By drinking the water after washing the holy feet of the Guru and
sprinkling the remains on the head, man attains the fruit of taking bath in all
the sacred waters of all sacred rivers and of all pilgrimages.

Notes: Faithfully following the spirit of the teachings contained here,
one attains the fruits mentioned. It is not exaggeration or praise. What has the
Lord to gain from the ignorant Jivas of the world by misleading them?

30. The Padodaka (water collected after washing the Guru’s Feet) of the Guru
has the power of completely burning up the filth of the disciple’s sins,
brightening the lamp of wisdom and taking him across the ocean of Samsara.

36. With whose blessings man sheds off the great shackles of ignorance, my
prostrations to that Supreme Teacher (Lord Saviour), who bestows all the desired
objects including the four Purusharthas (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha).

38. The service of the Guru is Gaya-Kshetra, his body is the imperishable
banyan tree (Akshaya Vata), his feet, the feet of Lord Vishnu and anything
offered at his feet bestows infinite merit.

Notes: To the ideal Guru-Bhakta, who has onepointedness in devotion and
who is established in the faith, Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu and Guru is
Siva, and the different places of pilgrimage like Kashi, Gaya etc. There is no
Tirtha or Punyakshetra other than his Guru. He sees Kashi, Gaya, Mathura,
Vrindavan, Vaikuntha, Moksha, everything, in his own Guru. This sort of
Guru-Bhakti is very rare and cannot be obtained without His Grace.

39. The disciple should always meditate on his Guru, he should ever repeat
the Guru’s name, he should always carry out the behests of the Guru. He should
be devoted to his Guru only and think of none else.

Notes: What is meant here is that for purpose of spiritual guidance and
Sadhana the Sadhaks should have devotion to one Guru only. Satsanga and the
gaining of knowledge of the Sastras and such other acts are not ruled out. When
the truth is grasped nicely the necessity for indefinite search for other Gurus
ceases.